South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde
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This is the introduction article and editorial that will address the latest approaches to safe management of snakebite in South Africa and shares the evidence and expert consensus from the recent South African Snakebite Symposium (SASS) meeting held in July 2022.
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The South African (SA) medical internship training programme model was recently revised to extend training into the primary care platform. In this article, we reflect on the experiences of training under the new model from an intern perspective. We use these reflections to make recommendations to the Health Professions Council of SA on how to further improve the training model by implementing systems that guide and empower the intern doctor practising at a primary level of care.
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South Africa (SA) is a resource-limited country that needs efficient operating theatres in order for surgical care to function cost-effectively. Regular assessment of theatre efficiency in our setting is therefore needed. ⋯ All theatre efficiency parameters at St John Eye Hospital were below international benchmarks.
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Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global public health concern. The 2014 South African (SA) national TB management guidelines were developed to decrease the burden of TB, but implementation remains a challenge. ⋯ Most participants had adequate knowledge of the national TB management guidelines. A high TB treatment success rate was noted, along with some good practices. The study also highlights several knowledge and practice gaps that can be overcome by measures such as quality audits to improve record keeping. Adequate training of healthcare workers, sustaining and updating knowledge through continuous training, and strengthened supervision mechanisms to ensure compliance with the guidelines are recommended.